Response to Joyce Armstrong Carroll Article

This article was a great idea in that it talked about teaching students to code and decode their texts. This was not only a great way to help kids better identify their mistakes but it also puts them in the driver’s seat in terms of their writing. They are taking responsibility for their work. Kids will not always have teachers to check their writing. I do also agree with Joyce C. about the process of teaching this. This will not be something they can learn in a week. This will take time and skill and extensive modeling day after day by the teacher. I believe once students grasp the concept, this will be a powerhouse tool to use for writing and something they can realistically use for the long haul. What we want are life-long writers-- not 187 day writer’s workshop graduates. Kids love “codes” and by using a strategy of this type the teacher can “jazz up” this coding activity by making a fun code model for the kids to use and also can tailor their marks based on the writing conventions his/her students are struggling with. By starting small and ending big this can be a successful tool in improving writing for students.